While companies like OfficeMax, Staples and Office Depot seem to hold a monopoly over the world of office supplies, SupplyGeeks.com, a new ecommerce site, is planning on standing out by filling its service center with nothing but “geeks.”
“We are excited about our products…and what we see as our competitive advantage [is] a superior knowledge of office products, and most of all, exceptional customer service,” said SupplyGeeks.com director of ecommerce, Eric Houtkooper.
“We know that shopping for office supplies and tech products can sometimes be overwhelming, so we have a large staff of trained office supply specialists, or supply geeks, that excel in helping the customer find the right product at the right price. We’re obsessed with office supplies and tech gear, we live and breathe it every day,” Houtkooper said.
Content on the new site is expected to provide assistance for customers during each step of the buying process. Also, feedback and social integration will be built into SupplyGeeks.com allowing for product reviews, in-depth blog posts and social bookmarking capabilities. The geeks will also focus on interaction, allowing customers to speak with staff members through live chat and social media outlets.
Houtkooper said SupplyGeeks.com will be a traditional ecommerce site, selling all things office, but said there will be a major focus on fun. Houtkopper said, “A big part of that will come from our blog, our twitter feed, and a planned YouTube channel, and of course, Facebook. We want to use social media to help make customers find the right products, but also help bring some fun back into the office environment.”
SOS Office Supply, who backs SupplyGeeks.com, asked Houtkooper to join the company back in February to help kick start their business-to-client operations. He formerly was the president of PupLife.com, an ecommerce pet supply b-to-c. Before that he worked with several digital marketing organizations including the Chicago Board of Trade, EoExchange and CAN Insurance.
Expect to see a beta site launch on April 23 with an official site launch tentatively scheduled for May 21.